GREEN CLEANING

POLICY & PLAN

SCOPE AND GOALS

B.I.C. Services (BIC) is committed to meeting its Corporate Social Responsibility, and as such, its
cleaning activities are guided by an Environmental Management System which has been integrated
into business planning at all levels, including having an in-house NABERS accredited Auditor and
being a member of the Green Building Council of Australia.
BIC’s activities will be planned and performed so that adverse effects on the environment are either
avoided or mitigated as a minimum, while meeting all statutory requirements. The goal of this Green
Cleaning Plan is to reduce the exposure of building occupants and maintenance personnel to
potentially hazardous chemical, biological and particle contaminants, which adversely impact air
quality, health, building finishes, building systems and the environment.
This Plan is applicable in all spaces referenced within the coverage of the current cleaning contract
and addresses environmental best practices for cleaning. Specifically, it addresses purchasing
sustainable cleaning products; equipment and systems; developing and implementing standard
operating procedures for effective cleaning; promoting and improving handling guidelines; developing
staffing and employee training requirements; and collecting and addressing occupant feedback.

QUALITY ASSURANCE CONTROL PROCESS

BIC will periodically evaluate the success of the Green Cleaning Plan. This evaluation may include
producing and providing a report on an annual basis to senior management. Whenever possible, the
annual report shall include an evaluation of the performance, safety, cost and environmental/public health
benefits achieved as a result of its implementation. Prior to implementation, BIC shall review all proposed
cleaning activities. Upon reviewing proposed activities, BIC shall determine if they meet the criteria of the
Plan.
BIC will regularly communicate with all cleaning staff and conduct regular site inspections and
evaluations to ensure that the Plan is in place and functioning as intended. In addition to ongoing quality
control measures, BIC’s Procurement Manager will review all practices and products (typically annually)
to identify opportunities for improvement and expansion of environmentally friendly practices

CLEANING PRODUCTS

The practices listed below shall be implemented, to the extent practicable, with a target goal of 60% of
products complying, based on cost. BIC’s Procurement Manager will track purchase rates of both
compliant and noncompliant products.

PRACTICES TO OPTIMISE USE OF SUSTAINABLE CLEANING PRODUCTS

The use of cleaning chemicals will be minimised as much as possible. Cleaning products and materials,
when possible, will meet the requirements of Green Cleaning Policy & Plan and Green Star Criteria.

Product types subject to these requirements include, but are not limited to, bio-enzymatic cleaners, hard-
floor cleaners, carpet cleaners, general-purpose cleaners, specialty cleaners, odour control, disinfectants,
disposable janitorial paper products and trash bags, and hand soaps.
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POLICY & PLAN
APPROVED CHEMICAL PRODUCT LIST

The products listed below are approved for use. Products beyond those listed here must be submitted for
approval prior to use.

Product Type Manufacturer/Product Name Sustainability Criteria Met

Bathroom Cleaner Diversey/Crew Green Seal GS–37.
Glass & Multi-Purpose Cleaner Diversey/Glance Green Seal GS–37
Neutral pH Cleaner Diversey/Stride Citrus Green Seal GS–37.
General Purpose Cleaner Diversey/Perdiem Green Seal GS–37.
Antibacterial Floor Degreaser Clean Plus Chemicals Green Seal GS–37.
Washroom Cleaner Maintainer Clean Plus Chemicals Green Seal GS–37.

AGAR Chemicals can be provided as an alternative and offers a range of high-performance green cleaning
products that reduce environmental impact without compromising results.
Agar’s Green Cleaning Products are licensed to GECA’s latest and much more stringent commercial
cleaning product standard (CPv2.2i-2012).

Good Environmental Choice Australia (GECA) is an independent, not for profit organisation that runs a
multi-sector green certification program. GECA’s standards are more rigorous than any other Australian
ecolabelling program for commercial cleaning products and are extremely difficult to achieve.

CLEANING EQUIPMENT
All newly acquired cleaning equipment shall comply with the criteria listed below.
BIC’s Procurement Manager will track the percentage of all equipment that meets the criteria, based on
cost or number of pieces of equipment, with a target of 20 % of equipment to comply.

PRACTICES TO OPTIMISE USE OF SUSTAINABLE CLEANING EQUIPMENT

Purchase Criteria:
All new equipment acquisitions shall comply with the requirements of IEQc3.4: Green Cleaning,
Sustainable Cleaning Equipment:

▪ Vacuum cleaners meet the requirements of the Carpet and Rug Institute “Green Label” Testing
Program - Vacuum Cleaner Criteria and are capable of capturing 96% of particulates 0.3
microns in size and shall operate with a sound level less than 70dBA.
▪ Carpet extraction equipment for restorative, deep cleaning is certified by the Carpet and Rug
Institute’s “Seal of Approval” Testing Program for deep-cleaning extractors.
▪ Powered floor equipment—e.g., electric and battery-powered floor buffers and
burnishers—is equipped with vacuums, guards and/or other devices for capturing fine
particulates and operates with a sound level less than 70dBA.
▪ Automated scrubbing machines are equipped with variable-speed feed pumps and onboard
chemical metering to optimise the use of cleaning fluids. Alternatively, the scrubbing machines
use only tap water with no added cleaning products.
▪ Battery-powered equipment is equipped with environmentally preferable gel
batteries.
▪ Powered equipment is ergonomically designed to minimise vibration, noise and user fatigue.
▪ Equipment is designed with safeguards, such as rollers or rubber bumpers, to reduce
potential damage to building surfaces.
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POLICY & PLAN
HANDLING AND STORAGE OF CLEANING CHEMICALS

Protocols governing safe handling and storage of cleaning chemicals shall be wholly adopted. Quality
checks will be used to ensure 100% adoption.

PRACTICES TO OPTIMISE HANDLING AND STORAGE OF CLEANING CHEMICALS

The following protocols have been established to mitigate spills, leaks and mismanagement.

Storage

▪ Cleaning chemicals are stored in a locked cleaner’s rooms.

▪ All chemicals are clearly labelled and bunded.
▪ SDS to accompany all chemicals.

USE OF CHEMICAL CONCENTRATES AND DILUTION SYSTEMS

Where possible and if space allows, BIC will introduce a dilution control system. Highly concentrated
cleaning products reduce environmental impact from packaging and transportation, and typically reduce
actual use cost compared to less concentrated alternatives.

However, to gain the environmental benefits and to protect workers exposed to these more highly
concentrated products during mixing, extra care will be taken:

▪ Written and graphic instructions are posted in each janitorial storerooms to facilitate proper
techniques.
▪ Use appropriate personal protective equipment when mixing concentrated cleaning products.
▪ Follow manufacturer’s dilution directions. Do not under or over-dilute concentrated cleaning
products.
▪ Make sure that spray bottles (secondary containers) have appropriate labels.
▪ Never mix different cleaning products together.

Cleaning staff are trained on the proper procedures regarding the utilisation of this equipment, minimising
the challenges that manual dilution presents.

Dilution control equipment is highly recommended because it minimises the potential for human error and
reduces the chance of chemical exposure to concentrates.

VULNERABLE BUILDING OCCUPANTS

To protect vulnerable building occupants, such as pregnant women, children, asthmatics, elderly
occupants, individuals with allergies and highly sensitive individuals, cleaning staff from BIC will use only
low/no VOC cleaning products; perform routine cleaning and floor restoration activities after working hours
when the majority of occupants have left the building; limit the number of cleaning chemicals used in the
building; and maintain a high level of cleanliness thus minimising the presence of irritants.
GREEN CLEANING
POLICY & PLAN

STAFFING AND TRAINING

All cleaning personnel shall receive regular and on-going training. All cleaning staff and managers shall
receive environmental safety and health training, addressing, at minimum, hazards associated with the use,
disposal and recycling of cleaning chemicals, dispensing equipment, etc.

To meet cleaning objectives within the building, staffing requirements will take into account factors such as
occupancy rates, seasonal variations and other considerations to ensure staffing is adjusted to provide the
most efficient and productive result for the Client.

OCCUPANT FEEDBACK AND EVALUATION OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES

All guests and employees shall have a mechanism by which to provide feedback on cleaning practices.

Surveys will be utilised and feedback about the green cleaning program will be evaluated. In addition,
management regularly researches and integrates new green cleaning technologies into the building’s green
cleaning procedures.

REVIEW

This policy is intended to be of an evolutionary nature. It will be formally reviewed every 2 years or as
deemed necessary.
The review process shall include an examination of the tracking systems and performance indicators in
consultation with the Executive Team.

Tony Gorgovski

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

B.I.C SERVICES PTY LTD
14-10-2022